Washington (CNN) – Sen. Kay Hagan of North Carolina, who finds herself in a tough race for re-election this year, will not attend a speech President Barack Obama is delivering in her home state on Wednesday.

A spokesman for Hagan confirmed to CNN on Monday that because the "Senate is in session on Wednesday," the Democratic senator will not attend Obama's event on the economy in Raleigh, North Carolina.Follow @politicaltickerFollow @danmericacnn

Senators and representatives from the same party as the President generally attend White House events in their home state or district. And Hagan's absence at the event has already received attention from national Republicans hoping to unseat the senator in 2014.

"Hagan may not be in North Carolina on Wednesday, but her presence will be felt since she can't hide her support of disastrous policies like ObamaCare and the failed stimulus," Brook Hougesen, National Republican Senatorial Committee press secretary, said in an email to reporters. "Kay Hagan has put the President's reckless policies ahead of the people and she simply can't hedge or hide that from North Carolinians."

The absence of Sen. Mary Landrieu of Louisiana – another Democratic lawmaker with a tough re-election bid in 2014 – became a talking point for Republicans in November 2013. Though Landrieu flew with Obama on Air Force One to New Orleans, the incumbent senator did not appear with the President as he toured the Port of New Orleans and delivered a speech about infrastructure spending.

Although Obama mentioned Landrieu in his remarks – "I just want to say nobody is a tougher advocate of the working people of Louisiana than Mary Landrieu" – Republicans knocked the senator for, what they saw, as running away for her support of Obama, who is unpopular in Louisiana.

Landrieu had other events in the state scheduled that day.

There are currently a host of Republican's vying for Hagan's seat, including State House Speaker Thom Tillis, physician Greg Brannon and attorney Heather Gran.

Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan group that evaluates upcoming elections, writes that the race "has the potential to become one of the more competitive of the cycle" but is currently leaning Democrat. The Rothenberg Political Report rates the race as "Toss-up/Tilt Democratic."

soundoff(20 Responses)

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA -aka- Take Back The House -aka- No Redemption Votes

If you're a democrat up for re-election, Hagan & Landrieu, you should be embracing your President as well as the PP&ACA. You've provided a service to your constituents that didn't have health insurance before. The smear campaign of the right is all they have to offer. They have no alternative to the PP&ACA. None! Zero, zilch, nada! if you're a democrat, you can run on the PP&ACA, the growth of the economy(no thanks to republicans), income inequality & my favorite GOP disaster of them all: THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

January 13, 2014 01:30 pm at 1:30 pm |

Dominican mama 4 Obama

Senators and representatives from the same party as the President generally attend White House events in their home state of district. And Hagan's absence at the event will surely be noted by Republicans who hope to unseat her in November
-------------------------------------------------
Democraps.
This was a costly mistake that the Democraps made in 2010.
You'd think they wouldn't repeat it again in 2014.
How sad that the Party that is always in the wrong -the GOP- has the chutzpah to stick together no matter how f'd up their agenda or how badly they've hurt the country. And yet the Party that should be standing up proud to bring ACA to our country is comprised of a bunch of chickens hits.
You're leaving yourself wide open to having the Republicans twist you in the wind.

January 13, 2014 01:36 pm at 1:36 pm |

Dutch/Bad Newz, VA -aka- Take Back The House -aka- No Redemption Votes

Take notes Sen. Hagan & Landrieu:

"I'm proud of what I have been able to accomplish on behalf of children, working people and the environment, in my district and for our country, especially passage of national health care reform." – Rep. George Miller

You should be proud of health care reform & run on it. You shouldn't run away from it.

January 13, 2014 01:37 pm at 1:37 pm |

Abbey

It won't make a difference Senator. YOU and the party of Obamacare need to pay for making such a huge blunder, and refusing to fix it due to the progressive hillbilly agenda in your party.

January 13, 2014 01:41 pm at 1:41 pm |

Rudy NYC

"I'm proud of what I have been able to accomplish on behalf of children, working people and the environment, in my district and for our country, especially passage of national health care reform." – Rep. George Miller

"You should be proud of health care reform & run on it. You shouldn't run away from it."

"This was a costly mistake that the Democraps made in 2010. You'd think they wouldn't repeat it again in 2014. ... '
----------------------------–
[ co-sign ]

January 13, 2014 01:48 pm at 1:48 pm |

Sniffit

"absence at the event will surely be noted by Republicans who hope to unseat her in November."

LOL.. And so would her presence at it. No matter what you do as a Dem, the GOP/Teatrolls are willing to invent and say whatever it takes in order to criticize it. They don't just want to take your cake, they want to eat it too.

January 13, 2014 01:58 pm at 1:58 pm |

just saying

too funny.... looks like obama is as toxic as obamacare. where is the big embrace of the party leader democrats? running on obamacare huh? yeah right. more like running away from it. can't say as i blame you, but i will anyways you cowards.

January 13, 2014 02:00 pm at 2:00 pm |

tom l

@Sniffit
""absence at the event will surely be noted by Republicans who hope to unseat her in November."

LOL.. And so would her presence at it. No matter what you do as a Dem, the GOP/Teatrolls are willing to invent and say whatever it takes in order to criticize it. They don't just want to take your cake, they want to eat it too."

=========

Soooo, in this case your point makes no sense as dems would do the exact same thing to a repub who made a decision like this. Yes, of course they're going to make this an issue as the underlying theme is the ACA.

As far as your "cake" comment, the only one that wants to take someone's cake and reallocate would be the progressives/liberals. That's their entire agenda.

January 13, 2014 02:04 pm at 2:04 pm |

Gurgyl

ACA is a Law. Period. Don't run away. Don't make stupid mistake. Tell to the nation this is a law dire need of this century, which GOP thugs sold out to insurance greed, hospital overcharge, Medicare fraud by doctors. My advise is not to get scared. Al Gore made the same mistake not using Clinton. Don't do it. I am more wise than you. Be educated at it.

January 13, 2014 02:07 pm at 2:07 pm |

Anonymous

"As far as your "cake" comment, the only one that wants to take someone's cake and reallocate would be the progressives/liberals. That's their entire agenda."

What I so greatly admire about the libertarian dogma is their inability to understand the mindset of their fellow citizens living outside of the Republican media bubble.

January 13, 2014 02:16 pm at 2:16 pm |

Sniffit

"As far as your "cake" comment, the only one that wants to take someone's cake and reallocate would be the progressives/liberals. That's their entire agenda."

Yes, we know, you like to claim so, but the reality is that for the past several decades all the wealth in the country has been going in exactly the opposite direction, particularly after everyone bought the biggest lie of the 20th century: "trickle down economics." The middle-class has shrunk, their salaries have been stagnant for nigh on 40 years or so...all while CEO and other top executive salaries have grown exponentially...the wealth gap has widened massively, upward mobility has virtually ceased to exist, etc. The only folks buying the mischaracterization of attempts to stop that massive, accelerating upward wealth redistribution as an attempt to redistribute all the wealth downwards are the idiot Teatrolls. Heck, the CEOs and extremely wealthy don't even believe it...they just want the gravy train to keep delivering.

January 13, 2014 02:21 pm at 2:21 pm |

Marie MD

She's a coward from the south.

January 13, 2014 02:23 pm at 2:23 pm |

Sniffit

"of course they're going to make this an issue as the underlying theme is the ACA. "

What's the issue? That she voted for it? Then THAT is the issue. Attending or not attending an Obama appearance can't both have the same implications. It's absurd. As for your false equivalence, just look at the kinds of statements coming out of the NJ state legislature if you want to see a contrast. The lead state congressperson investigating the bridge thing comes out and has no problem stating that there are, as of yet, no documents linking it directly to Christie. What do GOPers/Teatrolls do when it's Obama? They assume the documents exist and claim their absence is proof of a "cover up." Dems in NJ and around the country should be taking advantage of trying to highlight that kind of distinction right now. Those that don't and try to go too far...I'll be the first to say they're idiots.

January 13, 2014 02:24 pm at 2:24 pm |

Gurgyl

Whether you believe it or not, Hillary is going to be the women-president. Don't get scared. Yes, ACA is a Law, USA needed for long time, ignored by GOP garbage. Stick to it. Attend president speech. God luck, my vote for you in advance.

January 13, 2014 02:30 pm at 2:30 pm |

PaulCat

Just think back. Whenever reps are in charge, things go south. When the dems are in charge, they have to clean up the reps mess. If you want to clean up the so-called mess, vote dems and all women.

January 13, 2014 02:32 pm at 2:32 pm |

it must be said

If she doesn't want to be at the event with Obama then clearly she is a southern racist. I'm sure Sniffit will agree.

January 13, 2014 02:36 pm at 2:36 pm |

Evergreen

Sort of like Republicans who refused to be anyplace near GW Bush as the ran for election/re-election. The GOP would not even invite him to their Convention. As least she has the excuse that she is "working." We don't hear that word very often from our representatives.

January 13, 2014 02:37 pm at 2:37 pm |

Ol' Yeller

"The middle-class has shrunk, their salaries have been stagnant for nigh on 40 years or so...all while CEO and other top executive salaries have grown exponentially...the wealth gap has widened massively, upward mobility has virtually ceased to exist, etc."

Isn't explaining this to a republicant/libertarian/neocon/teabag ger (whatever- all the same) kind of like explaining Quantum Physics to a two year old? I mean, all he will do now is yell 'No', call you a a poopiehead, cry for a couple of hours and finally drift off to sleep to dream of a land where teddy bears sing, rainbows dance, and the rich need more tax cuts....